This morning I received an e-mail from ARTS North Carolina, the arts advocacy group based in Raleigh. I’ve pasted text from the e-mail below, but these figures particularly caught my eye:
- Our fight is for $6.6 million in grants funding that is allocated to all 100 counties through the North Carolina Arts Council’s grants programs.
- This is .0003 of the state budget, and yet the money reaches 9 million+ attendees.
- For every $1 of state funds, local arts organizations leverage an additional $17 that multiplies throughout the economy.
- And half of the $6.6 million is returned to the state in the $3.3 million of income tax paid by the 2,266 employees of arts organizations directly funded by the Arts Council.
The numbers don’t lie: North Carolina’s return on investment from the arts is enormous. Please make sure your representatives, your friends, your acquaintances, your neighbors – anybody and everybody you come into contact with – know this.
from ARTS North Carolina:
“The North Carolina nonprofit arts sector provides essential services more effectively, efficiently, and with greater accountability than can be provided by government. These services include jobs creation, skilled workers, improved public education, revitalized towns and communities, and a thriving cultural tourism industry.
Our position: Arts North Carolina believes legislators should make informed and responsible decisions in the current budget process based on the fact that a small investment in the arts yields a high return. We also believe that the proposed 10% reductions to grants programs in Governor Perdue’s budget is reasonable, but that any additional cuts will deeply affect arts infrastructure in our state. If you are willing to work with us, we could sure use your help.”